1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to lighting fixtures and their reflectors and particularly to such fixtures typically housing a quartz or halogen lamp.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lighting fixtures, such as are used for outdoor security lighting purposes, typically house an elongated quartz or halogen lamp bulb. Such a lamp bulb, being elongated, is mounted in its housing so that its elongated axis is parallel with the plane of the window opening through which light shines. Some lamp bulbs of this type have connectors at both ends and some have a connector only at one end. In either case, however, since the long axis of the bulb is parallel to the plane of the opening, this means that the axis of the receiving sockets or socket is also parallel to such plane. The lamp bulb in such a fixture is installed in its sockets or socket by first removing or opening the window of the fixture and manipulating the bulb into its sockets or socket. In some cases, the connector ends are of the bayonet type and in other cases they are of the screw type. In either event, the seating of the ends in an appropriate socket is critical and bulb rotation is required. All of this requires some dexterity on the part of the bulb installer.
It has been recognized that since the socket connectors or connector has to be located in the places or place just described, the reflector has heretofore had to be cut out to go around each of such sockets. Typically, a reflector is made of curvilinear, somewhat flexible and highly reflective metallic material, such as polished aluminum. The reflector fits into the housing of the fixture and is secured at at least one point, for example, by means of a screw and a centrally located screw hole in the reflector and an accommodating hole in the housing. In order to fit snugly into the housing and behind the bulb, such a reflector has been cut out or notched to permit the reflector to fit around the sockets or socket. However, such bare or uncovered sockets are both unsightly, diminish reflectivity, and are somewhat hazardous to the installer. That is, there is a possibility that the installer could receive a shock from a bare socket. Therefore, it has been customary to provide each socket with an appropriate cover or shield. This is done by installing a small plate with the same or comparable finish as the reflector by means of a screw, a screw hole in such shield and a matching screw hole in the housing compartment formed about the socket. In the case of two sockets, each socket is covered by its own shield in the manner just described.
In manufacturing the parts of a fixture having the parts just described, it has heretofore been necessary to have a minimum of a reflector, a shield for each connector and a screw for each part. This is obviously a more expensive arrangement to manufacture and assemble than if the reflector were to serve as both reflector and socket shield. Also, separate parts tend to become disconnected and lost after a fixture is put into service, making it further desirable to eliminate the shields as separate parts.
However, it has not been previously possible to eliminate the shields and still manufacture the parts in an economic fashion. The shield in the prior art are flat pieces of metal easily stamped out by production equipment. The reflector starts out as a flat piece of metal that is stamped out in the desired shape and then curved. To build the shields or shield into the reflector has not heretofore appeared to be possible in a economically produced structure.
Therefore, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a simple lighting fixture having need for one or more socket shields with a unitary reflector and shield structure that can be readily manufactured in a simple manner.